About the CCPI

A Connectional Challenge

The stories are numerous, and the theme is always the same—years of devotion and sacrifice and dedication to the Church, followed by years of hardship during retirement. Approximately 2,000 retired pastors, lay workers and surviving spouses in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe are struggling to survive—growing their own food, relying on their children and even creating products to sell.

In areas where living conditions are already difficult, these faithful workers for Christ face economic insecurity when their career in ministry ends—they will have little or no retirement income.

General Conference 2000 focused the denomination’s attention on the issue of clergy pensions by creating a Task Force, and charging it with "launching a pension support plan for the central conferences." In 2004, General Conference reaffirmed the original mandate of the Task Force for the Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI) and amended The Book of Discipline to authorize this effort to raise the funds necessary to fulfill this original charge.

The people of The United Methodist Church have embraced the challenge and are responding generously. Annual conferences are returning their annual distribution check from the United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH). Local churches are seeking ways to give, and individuals are sending contributions without being asked. This generosity affirms the desire of the whole Church to address the lack of pension support in the central conferences. More than $4 million was contributed between 2000 and 2007.

A Brief History

From its earliest days, the Methodist movement recognized a need to provide for its aging clergy. As early as 1774, a portion of the annual Easter offering was set aside to support "preachers in want". Ten years later, the Christmas Conference created the Preachers’ Fund, and in 1796, the Chartered Fund was created and still exists today, with the proceeds distributed to United States annual conferences.

Quadrennium - 2004 to 2008

Significant progress has been made, since our report to General Conference 2004 and the formation of the interagency Central Conference Pension Committee (CCPC). The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits’ (GBPHB) board of directors authorized the creation of a new staff position in 2005. In 2006, the position of managing director for central conference pensions was created and staffed, and the committee made site visits to Estonia, Liberia, Mozambique and Côte d'Ivoire to gather information.

Looking Ahead

Even though much has been accomplished, the CCPC is aware of the significant amount of work yet to be done. As we enter into General Conference 2008, there are 66 annual and provisional annual conferences in 38 countries outside the U.S. The complexities of local laws, cultures, history and traditions in these diverse areas bring a wide variety of challenges. A pilot project is well under way in Liberia and, now, beginning in Mozambique. The CCPC is exploring ways to expand assistance to even more conferences.

If emergency grants continue through this coming quadrennium, new projects can continue to be defined, funded and implemented. But denominational budget constraints make this an uncertain possibility until the General Conference 2008 budget process is completed.

The task before us is daunting. Much work needs to be done to assure the Church can continue to provide for those who serve - when their careers in ministry end. This is a connectional challenge that will be accomplished by giving gifts of time, monetary contributions and spiritual strength in support of those who serve the central conferences. Your gifts are needed—your prayers are welcome.